Systems, methods, and machine-readable media providing location-enabled group management

• US 8,818,439 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Peri, Kristin W., Doyle, Thomas Francis, Davis, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US14/044,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20140031073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.1, 455/509, 455/517, 455/519, 455/518, 455/520, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/415, 455/414.1, 455/67.11, 455/463, 709/205, 370/432
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A computer-executed method for managing a group of entities includes receiving an indication from a first user indicating a desire to add members to the group based on proximity to a target, such as a point of interest (POI) or a location of a person. The method also includes sending an invitation to a prospective group member based on a location of the prospective group member during a time window associated with the target. In response to the invitation, an indication is received from the prospective group member as to whether the prospective group member desires to join the group.

Claims

1. A computer-executed method for managing a group of entities, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a first user indicating a desire to add at least one prospective member to the group based on proximity of the at least one prospective member to a geographic target;

sending an invitation to the at least one prospective group member, based on a location of the at least one prospective group member, wherein the at least one prospective group member is associated with the geographic target during a predetermined time window; and

receiving an indication from the at least one prospective group member, in response to the invitation, that the at least one prospective group member desires to join the group.

2. The method of claim 1 in which sending an invitation to the at least one prospective group member comprises:

creating a list of proximity groups within a position window, the list including, at least, an indication of the proximity groups; and

sending the list of proximity groups to the at least one prospective group member.

3. The method of claim 2 in which receiving an indication from the at least one prospective group member comprises:

receiving an indication of a selection of a proximity group from the list of proximity groups, by the at least one prospective group member.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the invitation is limited by a response time window and a position uncertainty window relative to a location of the first user, the at least one prospective group member being located within the position uncertainty window.

5. The method of claim 1 in which receiving an indication from the first user comprises:

receiving at least one of a group name, identifying information of the first user, and position location information of the first user.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the target comprises one of a point of interest (POI) and a group member location.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the invitation does not reveal a location of the first user.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the first user is not informed of a location of the at least one prospective group member.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the invitation is sent to the at least one prospective group member in response to an indication that the at least one prospective group member is near an established point of interest of the group and an indication that at least one member of the group is also proximate the point of interest.

10. The method of claim 1 in which the group is one of a plurality of proximity groups, and further in which the method comprises:

creating a strawman for an area and time of interest;

using the area and time of interest, identifying a set of candidate entities, each of the entities being potential members of at least one of the proximity groups;

searching for clustering of locations and times associated with the candidate entities; and

eliminating candidate entities not associated with the clustering and creating the plurality of proximity groups from candidate entities associated with the clustering.

11. A non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

code to receive a command from a first mobile device user to add at least one prospective member to a social group using proximity to a geographic target;

code to provide a membership opportunity to at least a second mobile device user, at least in part, in response to the received command, wherein the at least second mobile device user is associated with the geographic target during a predetermined time window; and

code to receive input from the at least one second mobile device user indicating a desire to join the social group.

12. The non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising:

code for granting membership to the at least one second mobile device user.

13. The non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium of claim 12 in which the code for granting membership includes at least one of:

code for applying at least one rule to the input from the at least one second mobile device user; and

code for applying administrator input.

14. The non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium of claim 11 in which the code providing a membership opportunity comprises:

code applying a response time window to the membership opportunity, the response time window defining a time period in which the opportunity may be acted upon.

15. The non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium of claim 14 in which a length of the response time window is adaptable to a particular context.

16. The non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium of claim 11 in which the code providing a membership opportunity comprises:

code discerning that the at least one second mobile device user is in a geographical area of proximity to the first mobile device user.

17. A computer system comprising:

a first module for interacting with a first mobile device user and receiving input from the first mobile device user requesting that the computer system add at least one prospective member to a social group based on proximity to a geographic target;

a second module interacting with at least a second mobile device user and offering an opportunity for membership in a plurality of social proximity groups, wherein the at least one second mobile device user is associated with the geographic target during a predetermined time window, the plurality of social proximity groups including the social group; and

a third module adding the at least one second mobile device user as a member of the social group in response to input from the at least one second mobile device user requesting to join the social group.

18. The computer system of claim 17 comprising a location server configured to track a location of the first mobile device user and a location of the at least one second mobile device user.

19. The computer system of claim 17 comprising:

a server computer with a memory that stores membership attributes associated with the first mobile device user and the at least one second mobile device user.

20. A computer system comprising:

means for interacting with a first mobile device user and receiving input from the first mobile device user requesting that the computer system add at least one member to a social group based on proximity to a geographic target;

means for interacting with at least a second mobile device user and offering an opportunity for membership in a plurality of social proximity groups, wherein the at least one second mobile device user is associated with the geographic target during a predetermined time window, the plurality of social proximity groups including the social group; and

means for adding the at least one second mobile device user as a member of the social group in response to input from the at least one second mobile device user requesting to join the social group.